Galway minor hurlers prove too strong strong for Wexford in Leinster semi-final
The round robin stages were a dogfight, but Kenneth Burke’s minor hurlers put their hands up as genuine Leinster and All-Ireland contenders with a stellar display In Portlaoise on Saturday, swatting aside Wexford to set up a fourth consecutive provincial decider against Kilkenny on Monday May 18, fixed for the same venue.
Injury doubts surrounding Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh, who played no part on Saturday, and Jamie Egan, who hurled very well in the first half but then limped off early in the second, will be the main concern for Kenneth Burke and his management team this week.Certainly when it comes to form, they’ll have no concerns whatsoever.
There was thought, style and class to the way that this Galway group went about their business in every sector of the field. Dillon Shaughnessy anchored a defensive unit that was tenacious and disciplined, coughing up just three scores to frees while still keeping a tight leash on Joey Tobin and the rest of the Wexford attack.
The inside forwards were lively, crafty and after a few early misses, they found their accuracy. The work rate in the two half lines was exceptional, and it was at midfield that Galway really took control of this game through the impressive Oranmore-Maree duo of Egan and Gus Lohan.
With a strong wind at Wexford’s back in the opening stages, it would have been easy for the Model county to pack the defence and suffocate Michael Coen and Anthony Poniard close to goal, but because of Galway’s control of the breaking ball battle and the measured, thoughtful deliveries that were sent into open space from that sector, the deadly duo thrived.
Tom McAdam made the crucial breakthrough with an early goal, Bobby Murray struck back for Wexford, but a glorious team goal from Poniard kicked off a run of 1-5 unanswered. Lohan and Egan combined to send a perfect low diagonal ball into the Athenry attacker, who caught and turned in one fluid movement.
It would have been an easy tap over point, but it was as if he understood that a move of that quality deserved more, so he went for the throat and beat Matt Butler with a low shot.
Eoghan McLearn landed a wonderful point from out on the left sideline, Mark Walsh hammered a penalty into the ground and down the middle, beating Butler’s early dive in the Wexford goal, while Ultan O’Connor got two nice points in this game and wa/s also desperately unlucky to see a goal effortcrash off the crossbar.
Walsh and Ethan Whyte made fine blocks at the other end to keep the pressure on, but nine points between the sides at the turnaround (3-10 to 1-7) was a substantial lead, all the more given that the wind was set to favour Galway for the second half.
Egan’s injury robbed them of some impetus and Joey Tobin kept Wexford hanging in there when he found the net with a free, even though they were now no longer able to fire over the potshots from distance that they had in the locker in the opening half hour.
Three goals in ten minutes changed all that, as three goals in a row put a chasm between the teams on the scoreboard. Cillian Power came off the bench to fire in two of them, with Kayn Boyle and Eli Huban among the other subs who made a decent impact after coming into the fray, while Poniard crowned hisoutstanding performance with his second goal of the day, bringing his tally to 2-4 overall.
After winning the last two Leinster finals, Kilkenny have wrestled back the title of the team to beat in this championship, but after a series of closely-fought round robin games, not to mention a tight battle between the Cats and Dublin in the other semi-final, Galway have made the first real statement ofintent, guaranteeing themselves at least two more championship games into the process.
GALWAY: Mark Walsh (Carnmore; 1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1f); Joey McMahon (Athenry), Dillon Shaughnessy (Turloughmore), Ethan Whyte (Craughwell); Cathal Donoghue (Clarinbridge), Conor Lynskey (Liam Mellows), Ultan Leen (Craughwell); Gus Lohan (Oranmore-Maree; 0-2), Jamie Egan (Oranmore-Maree); Eoghan McClearn (Loughrea; 0-1), Ultan O’Connor (Ardrahan; 0-2), Tom McAdam (Carnmore; 1-1); Anthony Poniard (Athenry; 2-4), Michael Coen (0-7, 0-3f), Cathal Larkin (Killimor).
Subs: Cillian Power (Tommy Larkins; 2-0) for Egan (32), Culann Leen (Craughwell) for Poniard (51), Kayn Boyle (Kilnadeema-Leitrim; 0-2) for Lohan (51), Eli Huban (Kinvara; 0-1) for McAdam (53), Conor O’Neill (Sarsfields) for Lynskey (55).
WEXFORD: Matt Butler; Enda Byrne, Alfie Sludds Murphy, Paddy O’Neill; Ryan Walsh, Jamie Downey, Cormac Doyle (0-1); Cathal Whelan (0-2), Jack Furlong (0-1); Bryan Kennedy (0-1), Seán Kavanagh, Bobby Murray (1-1); Robbie Kehoe (0-1), Joey Tobin (1-3, 1-2f, 0-1 65), Oisín Caulfield.
Subs: Seán Doyle for O’Neill (half-time), Rory Durack (0-1) for Furlong (39), Eoghan Kehoe (0-1) for Kehoe (42), Jack Cullen (1-0) for Caulfield (46), Lennon Carty for Walsh (51).
REFEREE: Ciarán Flynn (Meath).